Nelson City Council

P O Box 645, Nelson, New Zealand

www.nelson.govt.nz

Send in winning Maitai/Mahitahi photo

Media Release: 25 September 2014

To mark World Rivers Day this Sunday (28 September), Nelson City Council is launching a photo competition that celebrates the Maitai / Mahitahi River, while raising awareness about Council and community efforts to revive the river.

Anyone who loves Nelson’s treasured Maitai / Mahitahi River is encouraged to take part in the online competition that starts on World Rivers Day and runs for two weeks, closing at 5pm on Sunday, 12 October.

The best photo will win $500 worth of gear from Rollo’s Outdoor Centre in Nelson.

Working closely with Iwi and the community, Council has committed $400,000 this year for Project Maitai / Mahitahi, which aims to improve the water quality of the river through a variety of initiatives.

Councillor Brian McGurk says the photo competition is intended to increase engagement and understanding about how Nelsonians can play a part in improving the river’s health.

“For an urban river, the water quality of the Maitai is good but it’s not great. Unfortunately, there is no single solution for achieving better water quality. Nelson’s success in restoring our river relies on everyone working together to drive changes over time.

“This photo competition is an opportunity for our community to celebrate the Maitai and what it means to people in different ways. It’s also a chance to find out about Project Maitai Mahitahi and the small things people can do that will make a difference to river health.”

Project Maitai /Mahitahi is an initiative that aims to make the river safer for swimming in and collecting kai from, and to create a river everyone can enjoy.

World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world’s waterways, and strives to increase public awareness and improved stewardship of rivers around the world.

To enter the competition, simply upload your photo via Council’s website, nelson.govt.nz/projectmaitai and follow the instructions.

• Please say in 50 words or less what you love most about the river.

• Photos can be scenic shots, action shots of people out and about enjoying the river, or simply an image that illustrates a favourite memory.

• Photos must be 1-5MB in size, and in jpg or png format.

• Any photo submitted as part of the competition may used by Council for promotional purposes.

Ends

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